Give Me A Boost, the new campaign by the
Provincial Government to highlight new requirements for booster seats,
was introduced today by the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Health
and Community Services, and the Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of
Government Services. The legislative changes regarding booster seats,
which come into effect July 1, 2008, were first announced in June 2007.

“The safety and well-being of our province’s children is our
government’s top priority,” said Minister Wiseman. “Booster seats can
significantly reduce the risk of death and injuries in a collision so
passing this legislation was clearly the right thing to do. We currently
have a law in place requiring infants and smaller children to be secured
in appropriate infant and child seats. The new requirement for booster
seats provides protection for children who are still too small to safely
use a regular adult seat belt system.”

“Appropriate restraint systems have been shown to save lives in the
event of a collision,” said Minister O’Brien. “Seat belts, infant and
child seats and booster seats are designed to keep people safe. Our
legislation needed to be updated to reflect changing practices and I am
pleased that, through this amendment, our children will now be safer
when travelling in vehicles.”

Effective July 1, 2008, children from four to eight years who weigh
between 18 and 37 kilograms (40 to 80 pounds) and who are 145 cm (4'9'')
tall or under, are required to be secured in a booster seat when being
transported in most vehicles in Newfoundland and Labrador. The law
applies to cars, vans, passenger trucks, taxis, private vehicles
contracted by a school board to transport children, and passenger
vehicles used by day cares. Buses such as school buses, urban
transportation buses and motor coaches, which are not normally equipped
with seat belt systems, are not included.

Booster seats help prevent injury in the event of a motor vehicle
collision because they raise children high enough off the vehicle's seat
to allow for a proper seat belt fit. The height adjustment ensures the
seat belt lies across the pelvis, ribcage and shoulder rather than the
stomach and neck of the child. In the event of a collision, a properly
installed and appropriately used booster seat can reduce the risk of
injury to a child by 70 per cent and reduce the risk of death by 90 per
cent.

"Kids in Safe Seats is very happy to see Newfoundland and Labrador
introduce booster seat legislation,” said Shelley Bauer, President, Kids
in Safe Seats. “The education and enforcement of this legislation will
save lives and may prevent families with young children from having to
deal with a severe injury from a motor vehicle crash. No one wants to
see a child with a severe injury that could have easily been prevented
through the use of a booster seat. Do your children a life long favor –
give them a boost!"

The Give Me a Boost campaign consists of print and radio ads to inform
residents about the new booster seat law as well as a brochure,
available in print and online, which details the new requirements and
other important safety information on installing and securing a child in
a booster seat.

This initiative complements work undertaken over the last year through
the Provincial Wellness Grants Program. To engage communities and help
communicate the importance of booster seat safety, two wellness grants
were awarded. The Car Seat Safety Committee in conjunction with Family
Resource programs in the Western-Grenfell Region received a $15,000
wellness grant to support these clinics and training in that region as
well as Labrador City. Kids in Safe Seats also received a wellness grant
of $21,000 to conduct child passenger safety training and clinics in
various regions of the province and also to support the development of
promotional and education materials on booster seats, which were
distributed widely throughout the province.

For more information on Booster Seats Safety and the new provincial
regulations visit
www.gov.nl.ca/health.

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Media contacts:

Glenda Power
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-1741glendapower@gov.nl.ca

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